This invention relates in general to the field of footwear and active sports and more particularly to a heeling apparatus and method.
Action or extreme sports include various sports such as, for example, skateboarding, snow boarding, in-line skating, rock climbing, and skydiving. Most action or extreme sports require expensive and cumbersome equipment that can only be used in select and, often, limited areas. Because these select and limited areas are not convenient to most people, these activities can only be enjoyed at select times. This results in a substantial investment in equipment that is only used sporadically, when large blocks of time are available to travel to such select and limited areas available for the activity. Because of these limitations and inconveniences, many times interest in the activity wanes.
The present invention presents the rare opportunity to create an entirely new sport and activity with mass appeal that does not suffer from the disadvantages, limitations, and problems mentioned above. From the foregoing it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for a heeling apparatus and related methods to create the foundation for a new action or extreme sport that can be pursued in many locations and conditions without the need for a large investment in equipment.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a heeling apparatus is provided that includes a footwear having an opening in a sole, such as the heel portion of the sole, to receive a wheel assembly, and a wheel assembly positioned in the opening of the sole of the footwear. The wheel assembly may include an axle, a wheel mounted on the axle, and a mounting structure operable to support the axle. In alternative embodiments, the wheel assembly includes only the wheel mounted on the axle without the need for the mounting structure. In other embodiments, the mounting structure is integrated or included as part of the opening in the sole of the footwear.
According to another aspect of the present invention a wheel/axle assembly for use in a wheel assembly of a heeling apparatus is provided that includes a wheel, a first bearing, a second bearing, and an axle. The wheel has an axle opening, a first annular recess on a first side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the first side, and a second annular recess on a second side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the second side. The first bearing is positioned in the first annular recess on the first side of the wheel, and the second bearing is positioned in the second annular recess on the second side of the wheel. The axle is positioned within the axle opening of the wheel such that the wheel is rotatably coupled to the axle through the first bearing and the second bearing.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for using a heeling apparatus on a surface is provided that includes running on a surface by using a forefoot portion of a sole of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface, and rolling on the surface with a wheel of the heeling apparatus extended below the bottom of the sole through an opening in the sole by using a wheel of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a method for making a heeling apparatus is provided that includes providing a footwear that includes a sole, forming an opening in the sole of the footwear that extends to a bottom surface of the sole, and positioning a wheel assembly in the opening of the sole of the footwear.
The present invention provides a profusion of technical advantages that include the capability of the heeling apparatus to function as normal, comfortable footwear for walking, and even running, and to function as rolling footwear, which may be referred to only herein as xe2x80x9cheeling.xe2x80x9d
Another technical advantage of the present invention includes the capability to implement the invention using virtually any available footwear such as, for example, conventional shoes, boots, dress shoes, loafers, sandals, slippers, bindings, and the like. Conventional footwear may be incorporated into a heeling apparatus by, preferably, forming or cutting an opening in the heel portion of the sole of such conventional footwear. Thus, the present invention may be implemented using conventional footwear that appears externally, during normal use, as conventional footwear. This allows the present invention to be practiced as a xe2x80x9cstealthxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccovertxe2x80x9d activity because, from external appearances, it is being performed using conventional footwear. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sole of conventional athletic shoes may be used in the present invention without the need to design awkward looking thick soled shoes to house the wheel.
A further technical advantage of the present invention includes the capability to implement the present invention with other active sport accessories such as in a grind shoe, such as the grind shoe made by SOAP, which also provides grinding or sliding functionality.
Yet another technical advantage includes the capability to use the present invention to enjoyably obtain an overall aerobic workout.
Still yet another technical advantage of the present invention includes the capability of enhanced control for turning and maneuvering, while still providing durability, reliability, and mechanical strength. The present invention provides this durability and reliability in harsh environments and with heavy and demanding use, including the capability to withstand the forces of jumps, spins and maneuvers of all kinds.
Another technical advantage includes capability of removable wheels and axles so that bearings may be easily changed and maintained and so that different types of wheels, bearings, and axles may be used as desired by the user and as dictated by the conditions.
In yet a further technical advantage of the present invention includes a wheel/axle assembly that can be easily inserted or removed from a wheel assembly or mounting structure, such as by using a friction fit. In other embodiments, the wheel assembly, or heeling apparatus, includes the capability of a retractable wheel. This allows a user to quickly and conveniently convert from using the heeling apparatus as normal footwear into using the heeling apparatus for xe2x80x9cheeling.xe2x80x9d The wheel is moved from a retracted position in the sole or heel of the heeling apparatus to an extended position where at least a portion of the wheel is exposed below the sole for rolling. The retractable wheel may be implemented using any number of designs and/or configurations such as a king pin arrangement, a dual position arrangement using a collapsible axle, a hinged arrangement, or even a spring arrangement.
Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims.